Post-hole digger.



W. 0. GOODWIN. POST HOLE BIGGER. APPLIUATIOI; 111.21) TULYzl, 1910.

5 SHEETS-BEEET 1.

MUIIIA PLANDGIMPH C0., WASHINGTDN D vPajselxted May 21, 1912.-

W.V 0. GOODWIN. POST HOLE BIGGER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET?.

Arm/mns COLUMBIA PMNOGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTDN, D. C.

Patented May 21, 1912. 1 v

W. o. GOODWIN. A POST 'HOLE BIGGER. APPLIUATION FILED JULY l21, 1910.

Patented May 21, 1912.

w. o. GOODWIN.

POST HOLE BIGGER.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 21, 1910.

1,027,199. -lmtentealmy.21,191.2.

4,3 5 SHEBTB-SHBET 4.

' Arran/VHS COLUMBIA PLANUGRAPH Co.,wASHxNGroN, D. c.

W. 0. GOODWIN; POST HOLE BIGGER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21,1910.

v l5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

M l AroR/vfrs WITNESS/:"8:

CQLUMBM PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON, D. C.

Patented May 21, 1912.

WALDMAE-.omrs eooDwN, orl SALINA, KANSAS:

POST-HOLEk morena.y

Specification of Letters 1atent., v

PatentedQMay-Ql, 1912.

Application filed July 21,V 1910. Serial No.75v73',041.

To all lwhom, it may concern: y Be. it known that I, WALDMAR O.GoonwrN,a citizen of the United States, andl aA yresid'ent'of Salina, inthe county of Saline and Stateof Kansas, have invented anew and ImprovedPost-Hole Digger of which Y thefollowing is a full, clear, andeXactdescription.

Among; t-hevvprincipaly objects which the presentl invention hasAin-vieware: to pros vide a-mechanism for earth boringhaving connectedtherewith eleva-ting means vfon re# movingvtheearth from the hole lasbored and.` deliveringthe same for removal; to provide in anearth boringmachine of the character described, means for guiding thebormg tooland:l mechanism for operating the same to. form holes, the extensionwhereofV 1sy my clined from the, vertical; to provide mechanism, forcontrollingl the roperation, of, the

boring mechanism which is simple, eflicienty andidurableyand to provideatruck fore-sup,-V

porting said boring mechanism, said truck being provided with aself-contained'motor alid.- with a transmissionI mechanism con-l nectingthe said motor with the traction wheels and with the boring mechanismalternately.

One embodiment; off the present invention is disclosed in the structureillustrated"l 1n` the` accompanying drawings,y in vwhich ,likeVcharacters, of reference denote corresponding parts in all-the views,and in which.-

Eigure lis aside elevation of a post-hole digging machine constructedand arranged in accordance' with; the, presentV invention;

Eig. 2 is an endelevation yofthe same; Fig.V

3 is afragmentary view in cross-section, and onan enlarged1scale,thesection being taken Aonthe line 3 3 in Eig. 4;;Fig. 4. is a verti-v calsection takenon the line 4 4 in-.Fig 3, t-he view being broken, away andcontracted inits vertical extension; Fig.` 5 is a detail.v view, onanenlarged scale and. 1n end elevation, of the top of thev guide and supportingframe; and Fig, 6 1s aside elevavtionyin detail, and on anenlarged scale, of

the top of the guide and supportingframe of the machine, togetherA withthe transmission*gearingandshaft for operating the. rotary boring shaft.v

i Heretofore the employment of earth, angers or boring tools hasbeenrendered un.A

desirable by, reasonl of'4 the inability tore- .move the dirt from theholeasy and-whenbored. A further objectionhas vheretofore existed inthat 'the preliminary, operatiom oi't` setting upl the boringjgtoolh-asbeenl suchethat the time requiredjorv-lost,about equaledl: thek timegained; over the hand operation,

In the present. invention; these. objection-s;v

are overcome, inthe lirstginstance-,ebyr-equip ping a boring t ool rwitlr-4 earth... elevating de,P v

vices Vadapted to raise the'k earth. from,y the; boring, head?` anddeliver. the; same tosuit;

able conveyers,A or other transportation means, and@ inIthe,secondinstance,lby,mountfing/the boring mechanismlfon a;suitablemotor driven ytraction. vehicle.-

The vehicle,- is provided with suitable;z

body structure, having longitudinally: disposed sills 10, 10. The sills1'0, 10areex:- tended beyondy the steering,wheelss11,11,

and are provided with, standards f 12,1 12. tot,

form bear-ingboxes for a1. drive sha-ft. 13;, uponnvhichthe guideqframerests, and from Which the boringand;elevating mechanisms .l

are primarily drivern The guide frame. consists of; side.y mem--l bers14, 14,. which are suspended uponftheg shaft 1'3" by bearinglboXes.-15.,/15', and are;k cross bracedat the ends byl a -hez1rv.y,Yramingv timber 16 at therearg and Va metalli Lbeamfl?.

nectedl by a cross brace 18, provided tortura'- nish mounting for thepivot` standards. ofV the clutchv operating,Y mechanism. ianges of theI-beam 17; areicut away to form pockets@ to receive; guide .tubes 19,19.-

The tubes 1919` are ixedly bolted-inl, posi:

tionvupon the Ifbeam 17 by, 1oops..20, 20 the` ends whereof, are4 screwthreaded and prio-y.`

vided ,j with .set nuts.` 21,21. The tubestlt), R19, v.

are alined with the .members14,.14the;l ends!-V of the saidmembersfbeing;partly out# away to pass the saidtubes,andthetubes.being;V secured thereto by loop straps-22 2Q, The* straps u 22,y 22 assist in maintaining:- the per--Y pendiculan relation between.`the members 14 and the tubes 19;` Thisariangement is further secured bybracket braces 23, 23-,

which are securedfirmlyuponthetubes 19;

by collars 24, 24 provided for that purposek The bracesQB kare securedbylagbolts 25, 252

to .the underl sidesofthe Vmeinbers14, and at therear thereof.Txheftubes. 1.9fare,;m2lin tainedin parallel relationfeachttoztheother.r

by theI-beam 17 and aispacingtuberdisf Y posed at thetopof theguidestructure,VA connected WitlrA the tubesr 19, 19,-;by Lfpipel connections27, 27. Connecting the:` o.ut er,vkvv ends of,L the l-beam 17, and;theatubes-` 19," 19

at the top thereof, are tie rods 28, 28. The tubes 19, 19, the I-beam17, the spacing tube 26, and the tie rods 28, 28 form a frame having arigidity of formation with lightness of structure.

The members 14, 14, as above stated, are pivotally mounted upon theshaft 13. rlhe purpose in this construction is that the guide frame, andthe tubes 19, 19 thereof, together with the boring mechanism carriedthereon, may be disposed in a vertical position in the normally verticalplane of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. It is to adjust the angleof operation of the guide frame that I have provided the adjusting tubes29, 29. The tubes 29, 29 are small, and are threaded through eyelets 30,30, and are secured there- .in by set nuts 31, 31. It is obvious that asthe adjusting tubes 29, 29 are drawn upon or extended the tubes 19, 19will be inclined toward or away from the rear of the vehicle on whichthe guide frame is mounted. It is V also obvious that in any adjustedposition the `tubes 29, 29 may be held by setting up the nuts 31, 31.

rIhe boring and earth elevating mechanisms with which this machine isprovided are mounted in guided relation to the tubes 19, 19. A boringshaft 32 is rotatively mounted in suitable bearings formed at the endsof a pipe casing 33 and upon a cross head 34, whereon it is suspended bythe hub 35 of -a large gear wheel 36, which is fixedly connected bymeans of a pin 37 to the said shaft 32. The cross head 34 is providedatthe ends thereof with guide thimbles 38, 38, slidably mounted andmovable on the tubes Formed at the top of the shaft 32 is a grooved head39, in the groove whereof is mounted a supporting collar 40. The collar40 is provided with an eyelet 41, to which a cable 42 is connected. Thecable 42 is reeved over pulleys 43 and 44, and wound upon a drum 45. Thedrum 45 is mounted on a shaft 46, to which power is applied by a fixedsprocket gear 47, which, together with la .smaller sprocket gear 48 anda large sprocketgear 49, both being mounted on a shaft 50, and a smallsprocket gear 51 mounted on thedriving shaft 13, constitute, togetherwith suitable sprocket chains 52 and 53, a transmission mechanism forconveying the rotative movement from the shaft 13 to the shaft 46. Theshaft 46 is mounted in suitable bearing boxes 56, 56, mounted on thecarrying frame of the vehicle, as seen particularly in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, It is by means of the cable 42 and drum 45 that the shaft 32,casing 33, and parts connected therewith, are raised or lowered on theguide tubes 19, 19 into contact with or out of engagement with the earthwherein the post hole is to be dug.

The driving mechanism for the shaft 32 is connected with the gear wheel36 by means of a shrouded gear wheel 57. The shrouded gear wheel 57 isprovided with a squared central perforation provided to receive asquared shaft 58. The shaft 58 is, at the lower en d, xedly connectedwith a bevel gear 59. The bevel gear 59 is suitably mounted in bearingsformed in the head 60 of a bracket 61. The bracket 61 is bolted by meansof bolts 62 upon the framing timber 16. The gear 59 is maintained intooth engaged relation with a bevel gear 63, which is loosely mounted onthe shaft 13. The gear 63 is provided with a clutch toothed hub 64, theteeth whereof are extended toward and alined with a clutch 65, slidablykeyed on the shaft 13. The movable clutch 65 is operated by a lever 66,which is pivoted in a standard 67 mounted on the cross brace 18. Bymanipulating the lever 66 the clutch 65 is caused to engage the gear 63,and by rotating the same, rotate the gear 59 and shaft 58 connectedtherewith. The shaft 58 is maintained in parallel relation with theshaft 32 by a bracket extension 68, extended from the cross head 34, asshown particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings. At the extreme end of theextension 68 is formed a socket head 69, having a bearing formed thereinfor the bushing 70. The bushing 70 is cylindrical in shape and providedwith a central squared perforation to fit the squared shaft 58, whichslides within the said bushing. The bushing 70 is provided at the upperend thereof with a flange 71, adapted to rest upon the extension 68 andto form thereby a seat upon which the gear 57 and the hub thereof rest.rl"he shaft 58 is maintained in parallel relation with the tubes 19, 19by being mounted in a rotary bearing formed in the boss head 72. It isin the head 72 that the upper end of the shaft 58 is pivotally mounted,the said shaft being provided with a bearing section 73 to fit thebearing formed in the boss 7 2. The boss 72 is formed in the end of anarm 74, on which the pulleys 43 and 44 are mounted, and which is xedlysecured to the spacing tube 26 by means o-f bolts 75, 75.

By means of the construction and arrangement of the boring tools anddriving mechanism therefor, it will be seen that as the pipe casing 33and shaft 32 are raised and lowered by the manipulation of the cable 42,the transmission shrouded gear 57 slides on the driving shaft 58,maintaining, however, in all positions its non-rotative relation withthe said shaft, whereby the rotation of the shaft is at all timestransmitted to the gear wheel 36, and through it to the boring shaft 32.

At the lower end of the boring shaft 32 there is iixedly bolted, bymeans of a pin bolt 76, a boring head 77. The boring head 77 is providedwith a centering bit 78, and radially extended upwardly inclined Vscoopblades 7 9, 79. In the operation of the invention the centering bitA 78lmaintains the grip of the tool upon the earth in which the p'ost holeis being bored.-

Fixedly mounted upon, or integrally formed with, the casing 33, arecollars 80 and 81, provided to form bearings for short shafts 82,82 andsupports for bearing studs 83,83. The shafts 82, 82 are supported at theouter ends by depended bearing plates 84, 84, which plates are fixedlybolted at 85, 85 upon the bracket extension 68. The shafts V82, 82`haveliXedly` mounted thereon bevel gears 86, 86 and sprocket wheels 87, 87.`Thebevel gears 86, 86 are each tooth engaged with a bevel gear 88, whichis xedly mounted upon the shaft 32, the casing 33 being parted to permitthe said gear to pass through the said casingto the said shaft. Thesprocket wheels 87, y87 are suspended above and in line with thesprocket wheels 89, 89 mounted rotatively on the Kbearings formed on`the studs 83. The sprocket wheels 89 are locked in position by nuts90,90. The sprocket wheels 87, 87 and 89, 89 areconnected byendless-chains 91, 91, upon which, at suit-able intervals, aremountcdcarrying buckets 92, 92. The chains 91 Y and lbuckets 92,together with the sprocket wheels above mentioned, constitute theconveyer for' lifting the earth from the bottom of the hole when theblades 79, 79 are cutting in the bottomof'the said hole.

Byreason of the oppositeV lateral dispo# sition of the gears 86, 86 withreference to the driving gear 88 on the shaft 32, it will befseen thatthe shafts 82, 82 on opposite sides of the shaft 32 are rotatedinopposite The result of this is that movement of the blades 79,79. Bythus operating the buckets 92, 92 is will be observed that the earth islifted by the blades 79, 79 and conveyed toward the buckets 92 whilethesaid buckets are advancing toward the blades and extracting therearththerefrom. At the upper end of the elevator chain the buckets 92, 92deposit their load into deliv-` ery chutes 93, 93. The chutes 93, 93 areextended from opposite sides of the guide frame, and are supported onthe tubes by means Vof brace rods 94, 94. The said chutes are suspendedat the upper end from the shafts 82, 82 by means of straps 95, 95. Theconnections of the straps 95, 95 with the chutes 93, 93 and the shafts82, 82 are all pivotal, so that the angle of inclination of the saidshafts maybe adjusted to suit the needs of the operation or desires ofthek operator. Y

The crosshead 34,-shaft 32, casing 33, and

parts connected' therewith, as stated, are

lifted bythe cable 42 when the drum 45 is rotated. To rotate the drum 45the gear'51 is provided with a clutch toothed hub 96, with the teeth ofwhich a sliding clutch 97 is adapted to engage. The clutch 97 isoperated by4 a lever 98, which is pivotally mounted on a standard 99 onthe cross brace 18. Y f

The driving shaft 13 is operated from a driven -pulley 100, which abelt,` 101 connects with a driving pulley 102 ofthe motor 103.-

A heavy friction clutch 104 is keyed on the Y The shaft 13 has providedthereon al sprocket wheel 108, which is loosely mounted on the saidshaft 13, and is connected with'a gear wheel 109 by a sprocket chain110. The gear 109 is supported in a bracket 111, which is mounted ontheplatform 112 of the vehicle, which platform 112 supports the motor 103.The wheel 109 is tooth en gagedwith a transmission wheel 113, which istooth engaged with a large gear wheel 114. The large gear wheel 114 isfiXedly mounted `on a shaft 115, on which is likewise fiXedly mounted asmall gear 'wheel 116. The small gear wheel 116 is tooth en gaged with alarge gear wheel .117, ix'edly mounted on the axle 118 on which arefixedly mounted the traction wheels 107. Suitably mounted on the gearwheel 114 is a band vbrake of the usual type, but notk bevel wear 125,Xedly mounted on a wind-' ing shaft 126. The shaft 126 is arranged toturn the axle upon which the wheels'11, 11 are mounted, by means ofchains 127. With a vehicle thus constructed, the mechanismniay be movedrapidlyfrom point to pointV by manipulating a lever 128 to throw intoand'out of engagement'the clutch 129.

"lhen the clutchv 129 is thus thrown into engagement the wheel 108 isrotated with the shaft 13. In order that the boring shaft 32,` andmem-bers connected therewith, shall remain raised out of contact withthe ground when the wheelr51is thus released, I have provided the shaft46 with a ratchet wheel 130, with the teeth Vwhereof a pawl 131 isengaged. When the pawl 131 thus engages theratchetwheel 130 the shaft 46is held to preventthe unwinding 'of the `cable 42 from the drum 45.Having arrived at the point desired for the formation of a post hole,the shaft 32 is lowered. For this purpose I have provided the pulley 54and the band brake 55. The band 55 is suitably connected with a handlever 132, whereby the said brake may be manipulated to drop the bit 78and the shaft 32 connected therewith gently upon the earth.

The operation of a machine constructed and arranged as above described,and as shown in the accompanying drawings, is as follows: Then the shaft32, and members connected therewith, are raised, as shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings, with the bit 7 8 raised from cont-act with the ground,the'vehicle is moved to any point where it is desired to operate thepost hole digger. The vehicle is shifted until the bit 78 is disposed inthe proper position, when, by throwing out of gear the clutch 129, thevehicle is brought to a stand, operating for this purpose the lever 119.The shaft 32 is then lowered by releasing the shaft 46 and pawl 130mounted thereon, and by manipulating the lever 132 to ease the brake 55to permit the said shaft to drop quietly into operative position. Theshaft having been centered, the tubes 29, 29 are adjusted to place thetubes 19, 19, and the guided shaft 32, in a vertical position. Thishaving been accomplished, the tubes 29, 29 are locked in adjustedposition by the set nuts 31. The shaft 13 is now operatively engaged bythe pulley 100 by manipulating the lever 105 to seat the clutch 104. Theshaft 13 having attained its speed, the clutch 65 is thrown in to engagethe bevel gear 63, and through the said gear 63 and the gear 59 torotate the square shaft l58. The shaft 58 rotating, rotates the shroudedgear 57, and by it the large gear wheel 36 and the shaft 32. Vith therotating of the shaft 32 the full weight of the said shaft 32, casing33, and members connected therewith, is permitted to rest on the bit 78,which immediately sinks into the earth. As soon as the blades 79, 79 arebrought into contact with the earth, the same is cut and deliveredupward over the face of the said blades. lith the operation of the shaft32 it will be remembered the conveyer buckets 92, 92 are moved toextract the earth from the bottom of the post hole as formed, and todeliver the same upward therefrom and into the chutes 93, 93. The chutes93, 93 are given suitable lateral extension, which may be increased ordecreased sufficiently to deliver the earth thus elevated to one side ofthe hole being dug, or into a truck or other suitable transportingconveyance. rlhe operation of boring the hole is now continuous, theshaft 32 and parts connected therewith, including the elevator chains 91and buckets connected thereto, being gradually sunk until the limit towhich it is desired to dig the hole is reached. The limit having beenthus reached, the boring mechanism may be arrested by manipulating thelever 6G to remove the clutch 65 from the Wheel 63. Vhen the clutch isthus removed, the clutch 97 may be engaged with the wheel 51, throughwhich, and the wheels 49, 48 and 47, the drum 45 is rotated to wind upthe cable 42. The winding of the cable 42 results in the lifting of theshaft 32 and the parts connected therewith until the lower end of thesaid shaft, with the blades 79 and the bit 73, is lifted above the levelof the ground. If, when the proper depth of the hole is reached, it bedesired torontinue the operation of the elevator buckets 92 thereinwithout deepening the hole, this is accomplished by manipulating thelever 132 to hold the drum 45 to prevent the lowering of the shaft 32.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire t0secure by Letters Patent is zl. A post hole digger, comprising an earthauger having a head embodying a plurality of cutting blades and anelongated shaft; a plurality of endless chain bucket elevators; adriving mechanism for said auger embodying a driving shaft disposed inparallel relation with said auger shaft; a transmission connect-ionbetween said auger shaft and driving shaft embodying a gear wheelslidably mounted on said driving shaft; a flexible lifting cableconnected with said auger shaft; a drum adapted to wind said cable tolift said auger shaft; guide pulleys for said cable; a bevel gear wheelfiXedly attached to said auger shaft; a plurality of short shaftsdisposed in lateral extension adjacent to said auger shaft; a. pluralityof bevel gears mounted on said laterally disposed shafts in toothedengagement with the first mentioned bevel gear; and pulleys mounted onsaid laterally disposed shafts for driving said elevators.

2. A post hole digger, comprising an earth auger having a head embodyinga plurality of cutting blades and an elongated shaft; a plurality ofendless chain bucket elevators; a supporting guide frame for said augerand elevators pivotally mounted to swing in a vertical plane; a wheelcarried vehicle having pivotal bearings for said frame formed thereon; atransmission shaft vertically supported on said frame in paralleldisposition to said auger shaft; a driving mechanism embodying a shaftforming the pivot of said frame and operatively connected with saidtransmission shaft; and transmission gearing connecting said auger andtransmission shafts, one of said gears bling slidably mounted on saidtransmission s aft.

3. A post hole digger, comprising an earth auger having a head embodyinga plurality of cuttingblades and an elongated shaft;

.a plurality of endless chain bucket elevaf vehicle having pivotalbearings for said frame formed thereon; a transmission shaft polygonalin cross section; a driving mechanism embodying ya shaft forming thepivot of said frame andV operatively connected with said transmissionshaft; and transmission gearing connecting said auger. and

vtransmission shafts; one of said gears being slidably mounted on saidtransmission shaft.

4f. A post hole digger, comprising an earth auger having a headembodying a plurality of cutting blades and an elongated shaft; alplurality of endless chain bucket elevators;

a supporting guide frame for said auger and elevators pivotally mountedto swing in a vertical plane; a wheel carried vehicle having pivotalbearings for said frame formed thereon; a transmission shaft-verticallysupported on said frame in parallel disposition to said auger shaft; a`driving mechanism operatively connected with said shaft to rotate thesame; and'transmission"gearing connect-ing said auger and transmissionshafts, one of said gears being slidably mounted on said transmissionshaft.

5. A post hole digger, comprising an earth auger having a head embodyinga plurality of cutting blades andan elongated shaft; a plurality ofendless chain bucket elevators; a supporting guide framefor said augerand elevators pivotally mounted to swing in a vertical plane; awheel'carried vehicle havingvpivotal bearings for said frame formedthereon; a transmission shaft vertically supported on said frame inparallel disposition to said auger shaft; a driving mechanism embodyinga shaft forming the pivot of said frame and operatively connected withsaid transmission. shaft; transmission gearing connecting said auger andtransmission shafts, one of said gears being slidably mounted on saidtransmission shaft; a selfpropelled power driven vehicle to support saidframe and auger; the driving mechanism whereof is adaptedy to operatesaid auger and elevators; and manually operated means for interchangingthe traction mechanism of said vehicle and the driving mechanism of saidauger with the driving mechanism of said vehicle.

6. A post hole digger, comprisingan earth auger having a head embodyinga plurality of cutting blades andan elongated shaft; a plurality ofendless chain bucket elevators; a supporting guide frame for said augerand elevators pivotally mounted to swing in a vertical plane; a wheelcarried vehicle having pivotal bearings for said frame formed thereon; atransmission shaft polygonal in cross section; a driving mechanismembodying a shaft forming theJ pivot of said frame and operativelyconnected. with. said transmission shaft ;transmissiongearingfconnecting said. auger and transmission shafts', one of saidgears being slidably mounted onfsaid transmission shaft; aself-propelled power driven vehicle tosupport said frame and verticalplane; a wheel carried vehiclehavingpivotal bearings for said frameformed thereon; a transmission shaft verticallysup; ported.k on saidframe in parallelV disposition to'said auger shaft; a driving mechanismoperatively connected with said shaft to rotate' the same; transmissiongearing connecting said auger and transmission shafts, one of said gearsbeing slidably mounted on said transmission shaft; a self-propelledpower driven vehicle `to support said frame and auger; the drivingmechanism whereof is adapted to operate said auger and elevators;

and manually operated means for interchanging the traction mechanism ofsaid vehicle and the driving mechanism of said auger with the drivingmechanism of said vehicle.

8. A post hole digger, comprising an earth auger having an elongateddriving shaft and a plurality of radially disposed cutting blades; aplurality of endless belt bucket elevators mounted in paralleldisposition adjacent to said shaft and extended within the rotary pathof said cutting blades; a guide frame for said auger and elevators; atransmission shaft, gear-connected with said auger shaft and disposed inparallel relation therewith, the gear mounted on said transmission shaftbeing slidably mounted thereon; a hoisting mechanism embodying a cableand drum for winding the same thereon and a brake for controlling thefeed therefrom; a traction vehicle provided with pivot supports for saidframe; a motor-propelled driving mechanism mounted on said vehicle; anda plurality of manually actuated connecting mechanisms for operatively.and alternately connecting the said transmission mechanism, hoistingmechanism and traction mechanism.

9. An earth auger comprising a drill shaft, an elevator mechanismadapted for following the drill shaft, and having two conveyer belts andmeans for actuating the drill shafti and for driving the beltssimultaneously in opposite directions.

10. An earth auger comprising a drill shaft having a suitable bit, meanson said shaft adjacent to said bit for carrying an elevator' mechanism,an elevator mechanism adapted for travel on said carrying means, andhaving tvvo conveyer belts and means for actuating the drill shaft andfor driving the belts simultaneously in opposite directions.

`1l. In an earth auger, a drill shaft, a frame mounted near the free endof said shaft, two sprockets carried by said frame, driving mechanismconnected with said shaft, two sprockets suitably mounted adjacent tothe connection between the shaft and driving mechanism and tvvo conveyerbelts respectively connecting the tivo sets of sprockets, the drivingmechanism having means for simultaneously rotating the second named twosprockets in opposite directions.

l2. In an earth auger, a revoluble drill shaft, a non-rotatable memberat the upper end of said shaft, a tube attached to said non-rotatablemember and projecting over said shaft, a frame carried by the tube, tvvopairs of sprockets respectively supported by the non-rotatable memberand said frame, two conveyer belts respectively connecting said twopairs of sprockets, and means for simultaneously rotating the sprocketson the non-rotatable member in opposite directions.

13. An earth auger comprising a guide frame, a head adapted forlongitudinal travel in the guide frame, a drill shaft journaled in saidhead, transverse conveyer shafts ournaled in said head, and means foractuating the drill shaftand for rotating in opposite directions saidconveyer shafts.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscrib ing Witnesses.

VVALDMAR OTIS GOODWIN.

Witnesses GEO. A. PERRILL, G. M. ARNOLDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

